Two of the plant arrangements are in woven straw baskets, and I can't remove them. Will putting these in the shower ruin the baskets? They're too big to put in my kitchen sink. Maybe the air compresser is the best option?

I have had/have lots of arrangements, wreaths and such. I vacuum mine with the dust brush and wash them with the sprayer in the kitchen sink. I use a very soft spray. I let them drain through the baskets and moss they are planted in. I arranged them but I know I could never duplicate the arrangement. I have had them for probably 15 or so years.

OK I thought I was the only one who cleaned with an air compressor LOL. I have a small one for my long arm and thought I wouldn't use it that much. Well I use it all the time - works great to dust blinds, I can get the dust bunnies out from under the furniture, if I need to do a quick clean (in between quilts) I can blow all of the lint from under and away from my machine. Who Knew - I actually got this idea from a friend's husband, she was in the hospital and I went over to help clean before she cam home and he was in the house doing all of the floors with a leaf blower.

This isn't about cleaning them but just in general. Last fall I decided that since it was almost impossible for me to get out and water hanging plants, I'd hang a pot of silk flowers.....just stuck them in a hanging pot in which the plants had died. Believe it or not, they've lasted through all this winter storms and still look reasonably good! and it's been so nice to have some color I can see out my window by the desk. Will get more this spring!

And thanks for all the great info about cleaning them for inside!!

What a great guy! That is so funny. Good idea though about the air compressor.

LOL.....it was my husband that got me using the air compressor when he saw me gently cleaning the plants! Now I fire it up for tons of cleaning jobs!!

I would try dusting with compressed air first, a vacuum second, a damp cloth third, and running water as a last resort. Some of the higher quality silks are more delicate.

I put mine in the kitchen sink, suds up the water, put the flowers in the water and let them sit a minute or so, swish them around, empty out the water and rinse them until the suds are gone and then I hang them out on the line with a clothespin on the stem. Have done this for years and they still look like fresh flowers. Edie

I have heard the same thing to clean them in a sack with salt

I have used the salt method (using cheap table salt), the sink spray, and the sink dunk method to clean silk flowers. They all work. I prefer the salt method for larger arrangements, unless I want to mop the floor!

Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and I would guess JoAnn's sell a silk flower cleaning spray. It works, too. The dirt just fizzles away. Where does it go? I don't know, but it is gone. The chemicals are a bit of a concern to me.